Storage battery.



h2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l I y Z I E. SOKAL. v

STORAGE BATTERY. APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1909. 1,034, 156, Patented July 30, 1912.

E. SOKAL. STORAGE BATTERY. APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 1909.

Patented July 30, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

IHIIIIIIIIH f ffm;

EDWARD soKAL, or oHIc'AGo, ILLiNoIs.

STORAGE BATTERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July so, 1912.-

Applieationled July 2, 1909. Serial No. 505,571.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I., EDWARD Sonar., citizen of Austria-Hungary, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, have inf vented a certain new and useful Improve- 'ment in Storage Batteries, of which the following is a full, clear, lconcise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. ,f

My'i'nvention relates to storage batteries,

and has a number of objects and advantages in View. y

One feature of that class of storage batteries in which means are employed for forcibly elfecting circulation of electrolyte through the .pores of the 'active material of the battery electrodes, a

battery of the prior art in which the electrolyteis forcibly circulated being shown in my Batent No. 852,464, dated May 7, 1907.

Another feature of my invention relates to a construction and relative arrangement of the battery electrodes and the separators.

Myinvention will be vvery fully under-` stood by a description of certain embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a sectional elevation ot' one form of battery constructed in .accordance rwith lthe invent-ion, in association with means, diagrammaticall-y indicated, for effecting forcible circulation of the electrolyte. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan View on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. .F ig. 3 is a secti-,nal elevation of another form of storage battery structure. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the structure shown in Fig. ,3. 1

-Like parts are indicated by similar' charactors of reference throughout the different figures. l j

Referring first more particularly to Figs.

l 1 and Q, there are shown in these figures a structure comprising a.plurality of nested walls a Z) c d e j and g, made of some suitable porous material, such, for example, as is` employed in making earthen ware. 'lhese walls are desir-ably cylindrical and have spaces intervening between the same, which are, therefore, annular, certain of these annularI spaces containing similar electrodes h and alternate annular spaces containing similar electrodes i that are complemental to the electrodes lL; that is, the electredesn are ot one polarity and the'elecmy invention relates to' trodes z' are of an opposite polarity. These electrodes may be built in any suitable way. I prefer to form them by inserting perforated sheets t, of lead, wit-hin the annular spaces and filling these annular spaces with suitable active material in a dry state, which finds its way into the interstices in the leaden sheets and constitutes, together with said leaden sheets, the electrodes of the battery. This active material is preferably moistened after its insertion, thereafter seasoned and firmly locatedby means of pressure. In this way "excellent contact is afforded between the ctive material and the conducting lead sheets In, and, moreover, said shee 'f need not be made strong, as they do not act as supports for the act-ive material, which is held within the apertures in the leaden sheets mainly independently of the leaden sheets.-

The porous cupsv are preferably'higher than the active material, to prevent short-circuit.

The electrodes h are conduct-ively united and connected with a common terminal, and the electrodes i' are likewise conductively connected and lead to another common tery minal, all as will be well understood by those skilled in the art. The annular Walls a Z) c (Z c f and g desirably form the annular walls of porous cups or jars, each-annular wall being joined with a bottom Wall distinctly from -eac'h other annular wall, so that there is constituted, as is illustrated in Figs. l and 2. a nest of jars or cups with electrodes of one sign alternating with the electrodes of the opposite sign.

The electrolyte is contained in the central cup g', and where this electrolyte is to be subjected to pressure, l employ sonic suitable Ineans for effecting this pressure, as an a1 r pump l, an air-pipe m leading from said pump through the top wall a of'a casing which ineloses the have been above described.

ln adapting the storage battery of my present invention to an arrangementI wherein the electrolyte has t'orccd circulation, l desirably surround and snugly engage the outer porous cup a by' a' wall 0, of lead, which is plentifully perforated, so as to .permit the passage ot' electrolyte that is battery elements which rounds the perforated wall' o and affords an annular or cylind rical chamber surrounding the wall o, into which chamber the electrolyte is received. The electrolyte desirably fills all of the free space within the inclesing chamber, that includes the top n, the outer wall p and the bottom y, which affords a support for the porousI cups.

It will be seen t-hat I have produced a storage battery in which the electrodes are much simplified in construction and whose durability is materially increased. The number oflead and rubber connections is also reduced and leakage is eliminated.

`The storage battery ot my consnuction may be incased in metal and need not require the use of rubber arsin vehicle work as containers for the electrolyte.

An out-let pipe r communicates with the outer chamberahove mentioned, whereby the electrolyte forced into said outlet chamber may be returned through the pipe vm throughthe central porous cup g. The pipe r has a vent-valve r1 tor the escape of gas.

In Figs. 3 and #i I have shown another way of carrying out-,the invention. In the st-ructure shown in these figures, I have illustrated a storagebattery having many elements similar to elements of the structure found in Figs; l and 2, and these similar elements are given similar characters of reference. One of the main distinctions between the structure of Figs. l and Q and the structure of Figs. 3 and 4 resides in the construction of the nested poi-ous cups, each of which in Figs. 3 and 4, is provided with an annular bottoni r, each resting upon the bottom t] of the leaden outer case` each cup possessing also two concentric cylindrical walls s. Between each pair of walls s of each cylindrical cup, cylindrical loaden sheets 7.5 are inserted, which sheets are perforated so as to receive the active material 7"1 that is put in place in the manner which has been de.- scribed in connection with the structure shown in Figs. l and Q. rl`he nested porous cups in the structure of Figs. 3 and Lvl, are also so nested that annular spaces intervene between the same, in which annular spaces other perforated leaden plates are inserted and in which latter annular spaces active material 7a2 is placed in a manner which has been described.

The active material'entering into the construction' of the positive electrode is more apt to work its way into the,r pores of the porous walls than is the material of the negative electrode. 0n this account, I interpose some lilteringmedium between the active positive material and the porous walls. I preferably employ as a filtering medium, thin sheets t, of wood, that are placed immediately next the porous walls. These Wooden sheets act as screens or filtering inedum, for the purpose stated.

equipment having some I prefer the double wall' cups, inasmuch as they permit the removal therewith of the positive electrodes Without disturbing the negative electrodes.

By using pressure in connection-with the battery structure herein abled greatly to reduce the electrical resistance otl'ered by the porous walls, inasmuch as the electrolyte within the porous walls is' maintained at the maximum of its conductivity. Itwill further be noted that both surfaces of each electrode are subject to electrolytic action, each electrode surface having the surface of a Complemental electrode facing it, excepting, of course, the outer and inner electrodes.

In my co-pending 505,572, filed July 9,

application Serial No. 1909, I have disclosed features in common with the equipment herein disclosed.

It is obvious that many changes may be made in the form ofi the invention herein shown and particularly described, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to thel precise construction shown, but,

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following l. A storage battery including electrodes formed of plates and active material, porous walls between which the electrodes are disposed and o} ierating Vto hold said active material in place with respect to said plates, an electrolyte. and means for forcing the circulation of the electrolyte through the pores of the active material of the electrodes and through the porous walls.

2. A storage battery including electrodes formed of plates and active material, nested porous walls between which the electrodes are disposed and operating to hold said acdescribed, -I am entire material in place with respect to said v.

plates, an electrolyte, and means for forcing the circulation of the electrolyte through the pores of the active material of t-he electrodes and through the porous Walls.

3. A storage battery including electrodes formed of plates and active material, nested porous cups between walls of which the electrodes are dis-posed, said walls operating to hold said active material in place with` respect to said plates, an electrolyte7 and means for forcing the circulation of the electrolyte through the pores of the active ma,- terial of the electrodes and through the porous Walls. f

4. A storage battery including electrodes formed of plates and active material, a plurality of nested porous cups, each having two walls between which an electrode is dis'- posed, said walls` operating to hold said active material in place with respect to Said plates, an electrolyte, and means for forcing the circulation of the electrolyte through the vd'jthrough the porous walls. ,r Astorage' battery including electrodes f fed of plates and active material, a pluo'f nested porous cups, each having Walls between 4which an electrode is disfd', saidwalls operating to hold said activegmaterial in place with res ect to said plates, spa-cesv also "intervening jacent-eu sin which other electrodes are dis- J -.posed',' a jacent walls of adjacent cups also operating tol hold the active material of the latter electrodes with respect to said plates, l an electrolyte, and means for forcing.` the 15 circulation of the electrolyte through the pores of the active material of the electrodes and through the porous walls. .1. 6. A storage battery including electrodes A having active material in their structure, a v "2@ plurality of nested porous cups, each having two walls between which an electrode is disposed, an electrolyte, and means for forcing fthecirculation of the electrolyte through the pores of the active material of the electrodes i 725 and through'the porous w'alls.

7. Astorage' battery including electrodes having active material in l their structure, a plurality of nested porous cups,.each having tivo walls between which an-electrode is disgd-lposed, spaces also intervening between ad- #jacent cups in which other electrodes are disposed, an electrolyte, and means for forcing the circulati'ioL-the electrolyte through th'eQpbies' of the l tive material of the electrdes and throi'ig the'porous walls. 8. A storage battery including electrodes lformed of plates and act-ive material, a plurality of nested porouscups, each having two walls between which an electrode is dis- 40 posed, said walls operatingto hold said active material in place with respect to said lates, spaces also intervening between ad- )acent'cups in which other electrodes are disposed, an electrolyte, and means for foro,

4'5 ving the circulation of the electrolyte through the pores of thepaotivc material of the electrodes and through the porous walls.

9. A storage battery including an electrode formed of a plate and active material, a porous cup having two walls between which the electi'ode is disposed, said walls operating to hold said active material in place with respect to said plate, an electrolyte, and means for 'forcing the circulation of the electrolyte through the pores of the active material Vof the electrode andl through the porous walls.

10. A storage battery including an electrode having active material in its formation, a porous cup having two walls between -which the electrode is disposed, an electrolyte, and means for forcing the circulation of the electrolyte through the pores of the active material of the electrode. and through 6 5 the porous walls.

of theactive material of the electrodes-5 etween adl terial of the electrode an an electrolyte, and meais for forcing the circulation of the electrolyte through the- Losa-,15e .8

11. A storage battery including electrodes havin active material in their construction, neste porous walls between which the electrodes are disposed, an electrolyte, and

means for forcing circulation of the' electrolyte 'through the pores of the active material of theyelcctrodes and through the porous walls.

12. A storage battery including electrodes 'having active material in their construction,

porous walls between which the electrode-sj are disposed, said electrodes alternating in sign or polarity, an electrolyte, and means. for forcing circulation of said electrolyte through said porous walls and through the pores ofthe active material of the electrodes. 13. A storage battery iibhiding electrodes having active material i their construction,

nested porous walls between which the electrodes are disposed, said electrodes alternating in sign or polarity, an elertrolyte,I and means for forcing circulation of. said elec trolyte through said porous Awalls and throu h the pores of the active material of the e ectrodes.

- 14. A storage battery including electrodes having active material in their."constructiox'r, nested porous cups between whose porous Walls the electrodes are disposed, said elec trodes alternating in sign or polarit'y an electrolyte, and means for forcing circulation of said electrolyte through said fibrous walls and through the pores of the actfiye material of the electrodes. l

1521A* storage battery including a por'diis ido wall, airy electrode having active material in its formation facing the same, a filtering medium interposed between the active maporous wall and through the pores of the act-ive material of the electrode. 1G. A storage battery including electrodes having active material in their construction,

nested porous walls between which the-.electrodes are disposed, an inclosing casing of lead dciniiig a chamber exterior to-the electrodes and porous walls, an electrolyte adapted for circulation trodes, the porous walls and the chamber exterior to the electrodes and porous walls, and means for 'forcing circulation of the electrolyte through said porous walls,

through the pores of the active material 'of 120 the electrodes and through the outer chambei'.

17. A storage battery including electrodes havin(r active material in their construction o a porous walls between which the electrodes are disposed, an inclosing casing of lead deiinmg a chamber exterior to the electrodes and orous walls, an electrolyte adapted for .circu ation through the electrodes, the 4porous walls and the chamber exterior to the d the porous wall,

through the elec- 115 elect-rodesfandl porous Walls, and means for forcing circulation of the electrolyte through said -porous walls, through the pores of the active material of the electrodes and through the outer chamber.

18. A storage battery including electrodes having active material in their construction, nested porous walls between which the electrodes are disposed, said electrodes alternating in sion or polarity, an inclosingcasing of lead defining a chamber exterior to the electrodes andporous walls, an electrolyte .adapted for circulation through the electfrodes, .the porous walls and the chamber -"exterior to the electrodes and porous walls,

-. and means for forcing circulation of the electrolyte through said porous Walls, through the pores of the active material of the electrodes and through the outer cham- -20 ber.

19. A storage battery including porous Walls between which 'electrodes are disposed, said electrodes alternating in' sign lort polarit-y, an inclosing casing of lead defining a chamber exterior to the electrodes and porous Walls, an electrolyte adapted for circulation through the pores of the active material of the electrodes, through the porous Walls and through the chamber exterior to the electrodes and porous walls, andmeans for forcing circulation of the electrolyte through said porous walls, electrodes and outer chamber.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 1st day'of July A. D. 1909.

EDWARD SOKAL. 

